Posted on Feb 4, 2016
Should deployed NG Soldiers receive BAH based on HOR, duty location (armory) or the higher of the two?
25.4K
90
24
5
5
0
NG Soldiers who live in high cost living areas can receive much higher BAH than Soldiers from small towns. The difference can be hundreds of dollars per month, for my location it is a $500 difference. I didn't question it until I recently read FAQ #26 at http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/faqbah.cfm. What do you think? Please read FAQ # 26 as it is the base of the idea.
BAH
Army National Guard
Deployment
Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 8
3
3
0
I believe it probably has more to do with taking care of the mortgage that still has to be paid during deployment, no? HOR makes sure that the family still living at the home of record can afford to live there and makes up for the loss of income from the job the service member would normally perform as an M-day soldier.
(3)
(0)
SFC (Join to see)
You are correct, sir. BAH should be based on where the soldier/ his family physically resides, so that the residence can be maintained in the soldier's absence from regular employment. I have seen units use armories as the basis for BAH, but those were either wrong orders or the soldier was technically homeless.
(0)
(0)
3
3
0
It should be HOR, if the residence is maintained throughout.
BUT...
The actual answer is that whatever location by zip code that the Guard establishes on your mobilization order is the one used for BAH.
I have seen this gamed by units and people many times to ensure a bigger BAH and/or CONUS COLA.
BUT...
The actual answer is that whatever location by zip code that the Guard establishes on your mobilization order is the one used for BAH.
I have seen this gamed by units and people many times to ensure a bigger BAH and/or CONUS COLA.
(3)
(0)
MAJ (Join to see)
I had a Soldier who legitimately moved to Hawaii right before the mobilization he cleaned up!
(0)
(0)
MAJ (Join to see)
Should be HoR since BAH is a housing allowance. Would be nice if it was the larger of the two though.
(0)
(0)
3
3
0
Unless you do 30 days you get the differential BAH rate anyway. I am not sure about the Army Guard. It should be based on your residence because the housing should offset the cost of living in your area for the mean house market. If I were to drill in LA but lived in podunk Baker CA, It would not make sense to get the higher BAH for LA.
On the other hand I could live in LA but drill in Riverside, so I would hate to get the lower rate. So the current system makes some sense.
On the other hand I could live in LA but drill in Riverside, so I would hate to get the lower rate. So the current system makes some sense.
(3)
(0)
SFC (Join to see)
You get the differential with the Guard as well. That was a huge disappointment with my first AT after several years on active orders.
(0)
(0)
SFC (Join to see)
Yep, we get differential unless orders are more than 30 days. Then, BAH should be based on where the individual soldier/his family physically resides, not on the drill location. For example, I live in Virginia; If I deployed while I was living in Norfolk but drilling in Rocky Mount (not NC), my mortgage payment in Norfolk would be the basis for my BAH. Rocky Mount is but a fraction of the cost of living of Norfolk.
(0)
(0)
SGT (Join to see)
Its called BAH-RC, BAH-DIFF is for SM on active duty who have qualifying child support requirement situations. BAH-RC (what you were receiving) is for SM on active duty for 29 days or less; it is also referred to as Non-Locality BAH or Transient BAH. Non Locality Rates are used across the whole compo-spectrum, for example RA when PCS'ing it is the BAH Type that is paid when a SM departs from a location where he/she was in the barracks.
DIAMONDS ARE FORVER!
-SGT O
DIAMONDS ARE FORVER!
-SGT O
(0)
(0)
2
2
0
For the reserves and National Guard its based on your zip code for HOR. There is NO duty station. On title 10 orders of course.
(2)
(0)
MAJ (Join to see)
Obviously it doesn't apply to AGR or AD RC support personnel but if you think about it any other way is just dumb. I live 1,500 miles away from my unit. It would just be dumb, the cost is based on my civilian employment and if I am taken away from that job a similar amount should be given to me based on the actual cost of my home, BAH HOR does that (rank variant) If not I'd join a unit in Sacramento and bank on the increase in BAH.
(1)
(0)
SGT Ronald Bacon
We had a soldier get a job in Florida and our unit is a NY Guard unit... He was 2 months from ETS and made the move knowing it was just 2 more drills... until that is those famous words "No loss" and he was kept on for our deployment. That was some good milage pay when reporting for our 3 at's that year.
(0)
(0)
1
1
0
It should be based on your home of record. You are receiving the BAH to offset your current housing. For an example lets say we choose Duty Location and that we get $500 for BAH. If Person A lives in a low cost of living area $500 may cover his mortgage but for person B living in a higher end area it may only cover half. If we chose "whichever is higher" then person A gets enough for housing + pockets the extra. Person B is now getting enough to cover his mortgage but doesn't pocket any extra.
The best solution is to do it by home of record as that is the most fair option available. It should be enough to cover the housing for their particular home of record based on the cost of living.
The best solution is to do it by home of record as that is the most fair option available. It should be enough to cover the housing for their particular home of record based on the cost of living.
(1)
(0)
0
0
0
When I deployed and My unit received their BAH we had 2 PFC making more than our Company Commander because they lived in NYC and there BAH was more than my check was... At the time I would have said it should be the larger of the 2 but looking back and thinking what is right, BAH is for help with our housing not making money that is our base pay, lol. Good question I like reading the answers to these type of questions.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Are you serious? Why did so many people choose home of record?! I get BAH according to what the army sets and says is just. If I received BAH for home of record I would live in the nicest area!
(0)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
SGT Holden Johnson
Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. Living in the nicest area may grant you a high BAH rate but it also comes with an extremely high cost of living. Often the BAH isn't high enough to balance the two out.
Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. Living in the nicest area may grant you a high BAH rate but it also comes with an extremely high cost of living. Often the BAH isn't high enough to balance the two out.
(0)
(0)
MAJ (Join to see)
WO1 (Join to see) It's a reserve component thing you don't get BAH you pay for it with your civilian income, go live in that nice area but you have to pay the mortgage without any help from Uncle Sam 99.9% of the time. BAH only applies when you are activated for more than 30 days which isn't too common.
(3)
(0)
0
0
0
MAJ (Join to see)
But a deployed National Guard Soldier pay's his mortgage based on the location of his/her civilian job not because the military told them to live there. BAH on HOR is the only approach that makes any sense for a mobilized reservist.
(5)
(0)
SGT Ronald Bacon
Not everyone will get BAH if you do not have a lease to show your responsibility or a dead to show ownership of property you will not receive anything. We had people who would have their parents write up a lease for the bedroom they were living in to get BAH.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google